Portable wire tying tool



Oct; 6, 1959 Filed Dec. 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' INVENTOR. WALTER ll Ml/LLE ATTORNEYS Oct. 6, 1959 w. v. MHLLE PORTABLE WIRE TYING TOOL Filed Dec. 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

WALTER V Ml/LLE awmma(,7

1% ATTORNEYS United States Patent PORTABLE WIRE TYING TOOL Walter V. Miille, Daly City, Calif., assignor to Ernest Roe, doing business as Coast Wire Company, San Francisco, Calif.

Application December 6,1954, Serial No. 473,110

2 Claims. (Cl. 140-93) This invention relates to a new and improved portable wire tying tool of the character used to twist flat wire bands around packages and the like. Reference is made to Drew PatentNo. 1,545,407, issued July 7, 1925, and Schulze Patent No. 2,460,846, issued February 8, 1949, upon which the instant invention is an improvement,

In generaljwire tying machines of the type with which this invention is concerned, comprise portable tools which may be placed on the top of packages to be tied and have a slotted twister pinion in which overlapped ends of the wire are placed. By means of an operating handle the twister pinion is turned several revolutionsthereby twisting the wires securely together.

Other important features of'the machine are grippers which, prior to tying the ends of the wire, grip both ends and stretch the wire tightly about thepackage; and cutoff means which cut both ends of the wire closely adjacent the tie.

One of the most important features of the present invention is the provision of ejector means associated with one of the grippers so located and constructed as to eject from the machine the short piece of wire extending between the point where the wire is gripped and the point where it is cut off after'the tie is formed. The actuation of the ejecting means is fully automatic and in timed sequence in the cycle of operations of the tool so that as soon as the end of the wire is severed, the ejector means by spring tension forcibly ejects the severed end.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of improved gripping means for the gripper adjacent the ejecting means whereby insertion of the end of the wire prior to actuation of the tool is facilitated and firm gripplug of the wire is insured during the stretching and twisting portions of the operating cycle. Nevertheless, the construction of thegripping means is such that the ejecting means, may operate without hindrance thereby. Other objects of the present invention will'becorne ap parent upon reading thefollowing specification and referring to the accompanying-drawings in which similar characters of reference'represent corresponding parts in each of the several views. I

In the drawings:

Patented Oct. 6, 1959 2 ing a flat under surface which is positioned on top of the package 22 to'be tied. A stationary central shaft 23 is mounted on the base plate by means of upwardly extending supporting brackets 24. One end of shaft 23 is bent at right angles to provide a stationary grip 26 which enables the operator more effectively to manipulate the tool. Rotatably mounted on shaft 23 is two-part cylinder 27 joined together by rivets 28. Either end of the cylinder is formed with an annular cam, the left hand cam 29 having its annular cam surface on the edge facingv outwardly toward the left hand side of the machine as viewed from the front, whereas the right hand cam 31. has its cam surface oppositely directed. At least one: cam is formed with a shoulder 32 and a pin 33, the function of which in the operating cycle'of the machine here-- inafter appears. Coil spring 34 connects at one end to bracket 24 and at the other end to cam cylinder 27 and. returns the cams to neutral position at the end of the: cycle of operation. j

The center of cylinder 27 is formed with a groove 36 which receives annular gear 37, gear 37 meshingwith pinion 38 rotatably mounted inpinion bearings'39' cone; neeted to the base plate 21. In each cycle of operation of the tool, gear 37 revolves one-half revolution andpinion 38' several revolutions. Pinion 38 is formed with a slot 41 extending longitudinally inwardly, as 'well understood in the wire tying art, for the reception of' wire 42 to bejtied. Gear 37 is provided with a pair of ding onally opposite shoulders 43 on its flanks, which shoulders cooperate in the operating cycle as hereinafter'set forth.

.wardly by springs Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of the tool at the commencement of its cycle of operations;

Fig. 2 is a top plan thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan of the left gripper and ejector mechanism shown in position at the end of the tightening step of the cycle;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the mecha nism at the end of the tightening step of the cycle;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal, sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 6.6 of Fig, 5. v

The fundamental portions of the tool and their function in operation are set forth in the aforementioned Patents Nos. 1,545,407 and 2,460,846. Eliminating minor details, such a tool comprises a b ase;plate.21.hav-

Horizontal pivoted latches 44 are mounted by pins 46 at their rear ends between base plate 21 and pressure plate 47. Springs 48 bias latches 44 inwardly' against the flanks of gear 37. Latches 44 project into chordal slots 49 in the flanks of gear 37 to hold gear 37 station-' ary and with slot 41 of pinion 38 in proper wire thread ing position.

Also rotatably mounted on shaft 23 is operating handle 51 having bifurcated ends 52 through which shaft 23 passes. Operating handle 51 is manually oscillated from rearward or neutral position forwardly to a frontwardly extending position, and thence returned to its rearwardly extending position, which movement actuates the operating portions of the tool. By means of screws 53, 'oper-: ating handle ends 52 carry dogs 54 which are biased in- (not shown). Dogs 54 engage shoulders 43 on the flanks of gear 37 in the retractive' stroke of the operating handle 51. On the forward stroke of the operating handle, dogs 54 pivot about screws 53 and slide'freely on the inclined'surface 'of the flanks of gear.37; v

The pinion mounting bearings 39 are formed with en; larged open slots 57 facing forwardly to facilitate inser tion of the wire in the slot 41 in pinion 38. The two bearings 39 are connected by a horizontal transverse upper guide 58 above slots 39. Similarly lower guides 59 are secured to the base plate 21 below the level 'of the slots 57, one on each side of the pinion 38 and a third lower guide 61 is secured to the base plate immediately in front of pinion 38. The upper surfacesbf lower guides 59 and 61 slant upwardly rearwardly and theirmaximum elevation is equal to the elevation of the lower'.

' wall of the" slot 41 of pinion 38 when the pinion is in neutral position. Guides 59 and 61 form a raimp on which the wire band is guided into slot 41.; B'y/this" means the guide prevents engagement of the wire band from the front is a stationary blade 62, its upper left edge;-

63 being the shearing surface. ;The leftnrovgblgcutgfi,

blade 64 positioned immediately outside of and adjacent to blade 62, is pivotally connected to the left bearing 39 by means of horizontal pivot 66 which passes through an aperture in blade 64. The lower right'edge 67 of blade 64 is a shearing edge which cooperates with shearing edge 63 to sever one end of the wire in properse quence in the cycle of operations of the tool. A slot. 68. extends inward inblade 64. aboveshearing edge 67. Intermediate slot 68 and shearing edge 67 is a forwardly projectingdivider 69 which separates the strands of wire when it. is threaded into the tool.

Spring71 anchored at one end to bracket 24 engages, pin 72 on left movable cutoff blade 64 and biases, blade. 64 upwardly. The enlarged head of screw 53 on the left end 52 of operating handle 51- engages the rear edge 73 of blade 64. As operating handle 51 is moved rearwardly toward the end of its cycle of operation, screw 53 engages the upper rear edge 73 of blade 64 and forces the same forwardly against the tension of spring 71. By reason of the, location of pivot 66, movement of operating handle 51 rearwardly forces shearing surface 67 downwardly, thereby severing the wire which extends on top of blade 62 and below divider 69.

On the right hand side of the machine immediately adjacent bearing 59 is right movable cutoff blade 76, the lower outer edge 77 of. which constitutes a shearing surface. Blade 76 is pivotally mounted on bearing 59 by horizontal transverse pivot 78. Spring 79 extending between bracket 24 and pin 81 in blade 76 biases blade 76 upwardly about pivot 78. Immediately outside blade 76 is right stationary cutofi' blade 82. A slot 83; directed rearwardly from the front provides, by means of its upper, inner edge, a, shearing edge 84 which cooperates with shearing edge 77 on movable blade 76. Below and parallel to slot 83 is a second slot 86. A pair of forwardly projecting dividers 8'7 and 88 which merge with and constitute forward extensions of the walls of slot 86 assist in threading the wire into the tool. Adjustment screw 56 on the right end 52 of bifurcated operating handle 51 engages the upper rear edge 89 of blade 76 and forces the same downwardly about pivot 78 thus causing shearing surface 77 and shearing surface 84 on blade 82 to cooperate to cut the wire positioned in slot 83. Located in the upper surface of lower projecting divider 88 is a vertical bore in which is receivedball 89. A spring (not shown) biases ball 89 upwardly against divider 87. Ball 89 is located spaced outwardly from the inner extremity of slot 86 a distance slightly greater than the width of the wire being tied. Thus as the wire is inserted in the slot 86, ball 89 is depressed. As soon as the wireris inserted, ball 89 is forced upwardly against divider 87 thereby securing the wire in slot 86.

Mounted on base plate 21 for movement generally parallel thereto are left gripper arm 91 and right gripper arm 92. Each of these arms is provided adjacent its rear end with an enlarged transversely extending slot 93 which receives vertical pivot pin 94 extending downwardly from pressure plate 47 which clampsv the rear ends of gripper arms 91 and 92: against base plate 21. Adjustment screw- 96 and lock nut 97 regulate the clamping pressure betweenpressure plate 47 and base plate 21. Immediately in front of slot 93 on the left gripper arm 91 is an upwardly projecting stud 98 which receives one end of transversely extending horizontal coil spring 99. The opposite end of spring 99 is received by downwardly projecting stud 101 formed on secondary right gripper arm 102 which is pivotally connected to right gripper arm 92 by-vertical pin 103 passing through an aperture in arm 92 andian aligned aperture offset ear 104. Left gripper arm 91 is provided with a cam follower roller 106 which,

engages the cam face of left cam 29. Right gripper arm 92 is likewise provided with a cam follower roller 107 which engages the cam surface of right cam 31. Spring 9 9r biases the rollers 106 and 107 inwardly toward their cooperating camsurfaces.

Shoulders 32 on earns 29 and 31 cooperate with operating handle 51 so that as the handle is brought forward at the beginning of the cycle of operations of the tool, cams 2931 are caused to rotate in clockwise direction as viewed from the ieft hand side of the machine. The shape of cams 2931 is such as to cause rollers 106-107 to move outwardly and spread gripper plates 9192 apart until operating handle 5'1 reaches its forward position. Slight depressions 103 in both cam surfaces are engag d by the rollers, thus locking the cams in position during the first part of the return stroke of operating handle 51. Spring 34 biases cylinder to complete its cycle of rotation, but. this movement is restrained by rollers 186 and 187 locking in depressions 108.

The inner surface of the left end 52 of operating handle 51 is provided with a pin 53 which is aligned with pin 33 on left cam 29. Adjacent the end of the return stroke of the operating lever, pins 53 and 33 engage and cause the cams to move in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the lefthand side of the machine. This movement and the shape of the cams spreads rollers 106107 outwardly to their maximum spread, whereupon spring 34' snaps cylinder 27 ahead to neutral position, at which position the low dwell of cams 2931 is opposite the rollers, which causes the gripper plates 9192 to move inwardly to neutral position at the end of the cycle of operations of the machine.

The right gripper 111 which is mounted on secondary right gripper plate 102 comprises an anvil 112 having a foiwardly projecting locating portion, a gripper steel 113 and a gripper steel retainer 114, the retainer and steel being apertured and-held on an abutment 116 on secondary right gripper arm 102 by horizontal pivot screw 117. The lower edge of steel 113 is formed with teeth 118 which cooperate with anvil 112 to gripthe wire to be tied. Steel retainer 114 is provided with rearwardly bent extension 119 which is engaged by pin 121 the lower end of which is recessed in abutment 116 and biased upwardly by a spring (not shown). The side edges 122 and 123 of retainer 114: are rearwardly bent and engage the side edges of steel 113. In order to insert the wire in the right gripper 111, the operator presses downwardly on extension 119 which causes steel 113 to turn about pivot 117 in a counterclockwise direction. As soon as the wire is in position, the operator releases extension 119; and pin 121 biases the retainer 114 and steel 113 in a clockwise direction so that the teeth 118 engage the upper surface of the wire and grip the same against anvil 112.

The left gripper mechanism 126 comprises an abutment 127 along the front end of the left gripper plate 91 having a vertical transverse locating surface 128. Pin129 projects horizontally forward from said surface 128 and provides a pivot for gripper steel 131. Gripper steel 131 as shown in the drawings is an inverted, U-shaped memher having teeth on the ends of its legs and apertures 132 at its corners through which pin 129 fits and is held in position by cotter pin 133 and washer 134. As is apparent, by removing the cotter pin 133 and the washer 134 and turning the steel 131 in the opposite direction and replacing the steel in the other aperture 132 receiving; pin 129, the gripper teeth 130 on either end of the legs of the steel 131 may be used. The ends of the steel 131 are slanted so that when one of the legs is in operative position, the teeth 130 slant downwardly toward the left to facilitate gripping action. Below the edge of steel 131 is an anvil 136 the upper surface of which is downwardly inclined toward the left to cooperate with the teeth 130 to grip wire therebetween. Spring 137 attached to steel 131 biases steel 131 in a counterclockwise direction likewise to facilitate gripping action. The opposite end of spring 137 is retained in guide 138 which is connected to abutment 116 by screw 139. and which has a downwardly projecting leg 141- spaced outwardly from the plane of locating surfacerlzs a distance substantially.

masses equal to the width of the wire 42 being tied. It will be noted that a recess 142 is cut into the abutment 127 to the left of anvil 136 extending up to an elevation substantially above the elevation of the top surface of anvil 136. Pin 143 limits clockwise swinging movement of steel 131. Thus when the wire is threaded into the left gripper the end is inserted from the front into the recess 142. The operator then lifts steel 131 in a clockwise direction and simultaneously pushes the wire inwardly so that it assumes a position parallel to surface 128 and inside guide leg 141. The wire rests on top of anvil 136. Upon the operator releasing ,steel 131, spring 137 forces the teeth 130 into the upper surface of the wire and clamps the wire between steel 131 and anvil 136.

Ejector 146 comprises a vertical lever which is pivoted to abutment 127 by pin 147 and held in position to pivot transversely to surface 128 by retainer 148. The elevation of pin 147 is substantially above anvil 136 and pin 147 passes through an aperture in ejector 146 approximately at its mid-point. The lower end of ejector 146 is formed with a surface 149 which, in retracted position of the ejector, is substantially coplanar with surface 128. The upper end of ejector lever extends above abutment 127. Spring 151 connected to ejector 146 and to pin 152 in arm 91 biases the upper end of ejector 146 in a rearward directioni.e., spring 151 biases surface 149 outwardly. The upper rearward edge 153 of ejector 146 comprises a cam follower which engages cam member 154. The operative portion of member 154 consists of two parts, namely, a vertically upward extension 156 which is retained in position against movable left cutoff blade 64 by screw 66 and a horizontal outwardly extending part 157, the forward edge of which comprises a cam. The outer portion 158 of the cam extends transversely substantially parallel to surface 128. The inner portion 159 of extension 157 slants forwardly inwardly. The operation of the ejector 146 coincides with pivotal movement of left gripper plate 91. In retracted position of the' gripper, the forwardly projecting portion 159 forces the upper end of ejector 146 forwardly and hence forces the surface 149 inwardly and parallel to surface 128. As the left gripper plate 91 moves outwardly during the cycle of operation of the tool, spring 151 biases rear edge 153 inwardly and hence biases surface 149 outwardly away from surface 128. However, so long as wire 42 is gripped between steel 131 and anvil 136, and is runsevered, the taut wire 42 holds surface 149 inwardly despite the pressure of spring 151 (see Fig. 3). As soon as wire 42 is severed by cooperative action of shearing surfaces 63 and 67, the force of spring 151 causes ejector surface 149 to push outwardly and eject the severed end of the wire from its position between steel 131 and anvil 136. Teeth 130 of steel 131 are formed to prevent longitudinal movement of wire from the anvil while offering a minimum resistance to transverse movement of strips of the wire from the anvil so that ejector surface 149 can push the severed end of the wire transversely from the anvil.

The operation of the tool is as follows:

The free end 42a of the wire 42 to be tied is drawn out from a coil box (not shown) and which is located to the right of the tool as viewed in Fig. l and inserted in position in the left gripper 126 between the teeth 130 9f steel 131 and anvil 136 with the end of the wire behind guide leg 141. The wire is then pushed under divider 69 and into the space between shearing surfaces 67 and 63 of movable and stationary left cutting blades 64 and 62, respectively, into slot 57 between upper and lower guides 58, 59-61, and into the slot 41 in pinion 38,

thence into lower slot 86 in stationary right cut-off blade 82, ball 89 holding the wire in place. The wire is then wrapped down the right side of the package 22, under the bottom and up on the left side. The returning wire 42b is then passed into slot 68 inrnovable left cutoff blade 64 above dividers 69 and into slot 41 in pinion 38 and thence under right movable blade 76 through upper slot 83 in stationary right cutoff blade 82. The returning wire 42b is then gripped in right gripper 111 between steel 113 and anvil 112 as has been described. With the wire thus threaded in position, the operator holds grip 26 with his left hand and the operating handle 51 with his right hand, and pulls the handle 51 forwardly. By reason of the contact of handle ends 52 with ;sho1 1 l-.

ders 32, cams 29-31 are caused to rotate in clockwise direction as viewed from the left hand end of the tool. Cams 2931 are so constructed that as they revolve, the high dwells of their working surfaces force rollers 106-167 outwardly which in turn forces left gripper plate 91 and right secondary gripper plate 102 outwardly. The outward movement of the gripper plates tightens the wire 42 and draws it firmly into engagement around the package 22. Friction plate 47 and the slots 93 in gropper plates 91 and 92 permit slippage of the pins 94 in slots 93 and prevent excessive tension.

It will be noted particularly with reference to Fig. 3 that although, at the outward extremity of movement of the gripper plates 9192, ejector 146 is not in contact with cam 154, nevertheless the pressure of wire 42a against surface 149 maintains the ejector 146 substantially vertical.

On the retractive stroke of the operating handle 151, the cams 29-31 remain stationary but the dogs 54- engage one of the shoulders 43 on the flanks of gear 37 and cause the gear 37 to rot-ate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the left, which movement is transmitted to pinion 38 in a clockwise direction causing pinion 38 to revolve and twist the wires 42a and b in slot 41 to form the desired tie. Toward the end of retractive movement of the operating lever 51, adjustment screws 53 contact left and right movable cutoff blades 64 and 76 and hence cause the blades to sever the left and right ends of the wires 42a and 42b by shearing action, as has been described. As soon as the left end of the Wire 4211 has been thus cut, the pressure of spring 151 on ejector 146 causes the ejector surface 149 to pivot outwardly which projects the severed left end of the wire forwardly out of the grip of steel 131 and anvil 136. Still further retractive movement of the operating handle 151 brings pinion 38 to neutral position with slot 41 facing forwardly (Fig. l), whereupon latch members 44 engage one of the slots 49, holding the tool in neutral position and enabling the operator to remove the tool from engagement with the tied wire 42.

Although the foregoing invention'has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirt of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wi re'tying tool, a base, a twisting mechanism mounted on said base, at least one gripper arm pivotally mounted on said base, a gripper on said gripper arm, an operating handle for said twisting mechanism, means actuated by said handle in timed relation to move said gripper arm and gripper away from said twisting mechanism in the cycle of operation of said tool and to hold said gripper away from said twisting mechanism, cut-off mechanism positioned between said gripper and said twisting mechanism and actuated by said operating handle in timed relation in the cycle of operation of said tool, a cam on said base, an ejector pivotally mounted on said gripper arm, a cam follower on said ejector, and resilient means biasing said cam and cam follower together, said ejector having a wire engaging surface positioned to contact a wire held by said gripper between said gripper and said cut-off mechanism, said'cam engaging said cam follower to retract said ejector when said gripper arm is in position adjacent said twisting mechanism and permitting projection of said ejector when said gripper arm is in position away from said twisting mechanism, said resilient means biasing said ejector toward projected position.

2. A tool according to claim 1, in which said ejector comprises a vertically elongated lever having said cam follower surface on its back edge, said ejector being pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis parallel to the direction of the wire being tied and in which said cam follower is above and said wire ejecting surface is below the pivotal axis and in which said cam projects forwardly adjacent said cut-0E mechanism and tapers rearwaxrdly remote from said cut-0E mechanism whereby as said gripper arm pivots away from said twisting mechanism said wire contacting surface is biased forwardly by said resilient means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Jordan Jan. 14, 1879 Drew et a1. July 7, 1925 Gerrard et a1 Feb.- 15, 1927 Cary Dec. 13, 1927 Childress Nov. 2, 1937 Taplin Nov. 8, 1938 Schulze Feb. 8, 1949 Schulze- Jan. 1', 1952 Daniel May 13, 1958 

